One thing that’s baffled us about all the would-be Netflix competitors is they insist on hobbling their services. The Oatmeal recently summed up the problem quite concisely; cable channels insist on throwing up barriers that keep them from actually competing with Netflix, and they can never secure the huge library Netflix has.

And so it is with Comcast’s Xfinity Streampix. If you already have Comcast cable, it’s actually a pretty good deal; it’s included with some packages and is a $5 add-on for others.

Have Comcast Internet? Then you can kiss Comcast’s coaxial cable; Streampix is only available to cable subscribers.

So, let’s get this straight, guys. Instead of competing directly with Netflix and possibly stealing customers from them, instead you’re trying to simply keep customers with a watered-down Netflix knock-off? Yeah, that’ll make up for the ballooning prices and infamously bad truck service. Good thinking! Worked out great for Dish Network and Blockbuster!

In other words, all Netflix has to worry about is Amazon Prime, still.

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How did you completely miss the main point of The Oatmeal’s comic? It is about content producers, not content re-distributors.

The whole thing of cable channels putting up barriers and preventing them from getting the huge library Netflix has is not an accurate statement.

No individual cable channel is competing with Netflix, for example it is silly to think HBO Go is competing with Netflix, and any service that is will be facing the same issues Netflix has in securing new content, mainly they don’t produce a lot of in-house content so are depending on licensing it from others.

Not to mention with this Cable requirement Comcast will probably be in a better position to get content sooner, and without the 28/56 day delays, than Netflix.

[quote]In other words, all Netflix has to worry about is Amazon Prime, still.[/quote]

Hardly. All Netflix has to worry about is securing long term fair deals that allows more new release content to be streamed at the same time as DVD release.

How did you? By failing to make the content available legitimately for the customer that wanted it, they lost a sale.

And no, Comcast will NOT get anything to their streaming library faster than Netflix. Movie studios want you to buy a DVD, and they live in a dream world that customers will not wait to pay $20 to own “The Vow”.